DETROIT LIONS: Draft filled needs, immediate impact expected

Going into the NFL draft, the Detroit Lions had specific spots to fill.

They expect immediate impact from many of the guys they drafted including, but not limited to, defensive end Ziggy Ansah and cornerback Darius Slay.

“It’s also fair to say we have more holes coming into it or more holes that we knew about coming into this draft than we did last year. We do expect a lot of those guys,especially guys that we took early, to be on the field pretty quickly,’’ Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said.

While it generally takes at least three years to be able to judge a draft class as a whole, here’s a look at how well the Lions filled specific needs with their nine picks over three days. Don’t forget they can still make trades and sign free agents.

— Defensive line: Defensive end was the biggest need going into the draft with Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch gone. First-round pick Ziggy Ansah, touted as a quick learner who is passionate about the game, is expected to jump in right away. He’s raw but has plenty of upside including his height (6-foot-5) and long arms. He and free agent signing Jason Jones will likely start. They added depth to the line in the fourth round with defensive end Devin Taylor, who is 6-foot-7 with an arm span of 87 inches. It was no accident that they got tall rangy guys with long arms on the end. They’ve noticed it as a factor in the NFC North. Willie Young, a seventh-round pick in 2010, returns too. Could still use some depth at end and tackle.

— Secondary: Some critics think the Lions should have drafted Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner instead of Ansah. Milliner went to the Jets in the first round. Instead, the Lions drafted cornerback Darius Slay (Mississippi State) early in the second round. While he had just one year as a starter (2012), the Lions like his speed and size (6-foot, 192 pounds). He won’t be handed the starting role, but should win it and line up opposite Chris Houston. If he starts, it’s likely they’ll put Bill Bentley (one of three corners drafted a year ago) at nickel.

— Offensive line: Coach Jim Schwartz confirmed during the draft that Riley Reiff will get the chance at left tackle. They drafted him a year ago to eventually fill Jeff Backus’ spot. They missed out on the top three tackles who went in the first four picks, but there’s no way to know for certain if they would’ve jumped at Lane Johnson. They beefed up (literally) the line with third-round pick guard Larry Warford, who started 37 straight games at Kentucky. If you run into him just call him “Big Larry.” He’s 6-foot-3 and 333 pounds. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock loves this guy, calling him “a big, square, stout son of a gun.’’ He’ll compete with Bill Nagy and Rodney Austin for the opening at right guard. It’s likely that Corey Hilliard and Jason Fox will vie for the starting right tackle position. Mayhew did say he plans on bringing in a veteran presence for the line which will feature just two starters from last season — left guard Rob Sims and center Dominic Raiola.

— Linebacker: With their last pick of the seventh-round the Lions drafted linebacker Brandon Hepburn (Florida A&M). Don’t expect him to fill the vacancy left by Justin Durant, at least right away. They like this kid — Mayhew knows his coach well and talked to him again on Saturday prior to drafting Hepburn. (Not that it will help him on the field, but he’s a brain off of it. He earned his degree in biochemistry a year ago.) So expect Ashlee Palmer and two 2012 picks — Tahir Whitehead and Travis Lewis — to compete for a starting outside linebacker role.

— Wide receiver: In the sixth round the Lions drafted Corey Fuller, a former Kansas track athlete who started just one season at Virginia Tech. He’s got speed (4.43 40) that could be used to stretch the field and, again, long arms. Mayhew said they hope to use him on special teams while he’s developing. With Titus Young gone and Ryan Broyles unlikely to be ready at the start of training camp due to ACL surgery, the Lions are short at the position although they have a few guys on the roster — MIke Thomas, Kris Durham, Lance Long — who could step up.

— Tight end: Will Heller wasn’t re-signed, leaving Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler as the only tight ends. Michael Williams, a four-year starter at national champion Alabama, will back up Pettigrew and create his own kind of role. He’s more of a traditional blocking tight end who can seal off the edge but he also catches what he gets his hands on.

— Punter: The Lions moved down in the fifth round and drafted punter Sam Martin (Appalachian State) who, again, doesn’t have a ton of experience but showed great improvement in his senior season. Nick Harris struggled last season and won’t return. Martin, who can also kick off and is experienced as a holder, has a good chance to earn the start as a punter. He’ll compete with Blake Clingan, who was signed as a free agent in March.

Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Her book, “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,’is available at bookstores.